The effect of granular activated carbon (GAC) on batch dry anaerobic digestion of swine manure was studied under different temperatures and ammonia concentrations. At 20 degrees C, 35 degrees C and 55 degrees C, the digester was inhibited when the initial total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) concentration reached 2500, 3500 and 3500 mg/L, respectively. The degradation of protein at 20 degrees C decreased as ammonia concentration increased, but the process was little effected by ammonia at 35 degrees C and 55 degrees C. Results showed that when the initial TAN increased from 500 to 3500 mg/L, the TAN produced at 20 degrees C decreased by 526 mg/L, but it only decreased by 20 and 145 mg/L at 35 degrees C and 55 degrees C, respectively. Adding GAC improved the methane production rate by 8.4%-45.6%. Under adverse condition (20 degrees C and TAN = 3500 mg/L), GAC has the most positive effect on methane production. In which the maximum methane potential and maximum methane production rate increased by 38.8%, 34.1% respectively, the lag time shortened by 23.1%. The dominant bacteria at 20 degrees C and 35 degrees C were Tricibacter, Terrisporobacter and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, and Methanosaeta was the dominant archaea. At 55 degrees C, the dominant bacteria were Hydrogenispora and Ruminiclostridium_1, and the dominant archaea were Methanosaeta, Methanosarcina and Methanoculleus. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.